I like both players. Definitely think letting Corluka go was a mistake and that he should have been used more after Walker's arrival. Saying that, I don't think he's AVB's kind of full back.
Corluka dropped off the radar due to some personal issues, I believe. Got dumped by his fiance in some dubious fashion and lost it a bit afterward. Hopefully the move helped him get back on track, though I've no idea how he's been getting on.
Which brings into question the whole business of playing with a high line and the need for disciplined defenders to make it work. Wing backs AND a high line seems very dangerous to me.
I remember a few years back under Redknapp when we were playing Villa and the manager was understandably concerned about Ashley Young's pace against Corluka. He decided to pick Didier Zokora in that position instead, as he was far, far quicker and probably stronger, too. Young ripped him to bits. He got booked and rarely got anywhere near him, prompting Redknapp to make the right move after about half an hour. The Croatian put the little winger in his pocket and he did **** all for the rest of the game. Superior positioning and the ability to read a game are the best tools in a defender's armoury. Everything else is just a bonus.
Well said. Pace is over rated for defenders, reading the game and awareness is key. Ledley King was fast BUT it was his ability to read the game which made him the defender he was and one of the most naturally talented of his generation. John Terry for all the stick he gets, is one of the slowest centre backs we have seen in this country but whatever we think of him, is superb at reading the game. Dawson was our best centre back last year, he is slow, but hes a proper defender and while not in the class of king or terry, he doesn't need pace to perform.
Corluka was (and still is) a fantastic defender. it's just unfortunately, AVB prefers a more modern day full back who can bomb forward and back while playing in a high line, something Charlie couldn't do. If Walker can fulfil his potential, then I think he can become a fantastic player and far superior to Corluka. His Palace performance was a far cry from the **** we saw last season so hopefully that's a sign of things to come.
They are all centre backs. Watch the high line teams, the players that tend to be the ones making the gut busting runs back to cover someone springing the line are the fullbacks. Case in point - Rose's cover at Palace where he pretty much ended up at right back. We all took the piss out of Terry playing the high line under AVB, seems a bit two-faced to say he could now do it. He's a good defender, but he was **** at the high line. Dawson has done much better at the high line than i imagined, but he hasn't chased many people down after being turned near the halfway line yet. Corluka was a fantastic defender. Do i think he'd suit this team? No way, sorry.
I may have jumped into the debate at the wrong stage but was just picking up on pace in general for defenders, not just soley about a highline, as personally pace isn't the be all and end all of defending as while you an use examples of pace covering, you can also use examples of them same pacey defenders getting ripped to shreds because of their lack of awareness (like walker).
Holloway's been charged by the FA for his post-match comments and for his behaviour towards the officials at the end of the game. Two charges.
The best bit about Holloway's moan, is that the "foul" by Chadli was actually just a shoulder-to-shoulder barge in my opinion. To me, that's not foul. Hardly as if he hacked him down with a two-footed challenge or elbowed him in the face.
